One man's opinion: Ron Kittle popped out of the runway and...

May 08, 1986|By Skip Myslenski & Linda Kay.

One man`s opinion: Ron Kittle popped out of the runway and into the Sox dugout, then stopped short when he spotted the numerous notepads and cameras on hand to chronicle Tony LaRussa`s uncertain future. ``You all here for the execution?`` he whimsically asked. ``We don`t need any change here. We don`t need Billy Martin. Let him come over here and we`ll show him the Sox are tougher than Ed Whitson (the Yankee pitcher who broke Martin`s arm in an off- the-field brawl last season).`` Kittle, forever the mischievous man-child, later repeated his commentary in front of the embattled LaRussa, who laughed and asked: ``You mean to tell me (Wayne) Tolleson and (John) Cangelosi are tougher than Billy?``

``Naaaw,`` said Kittle with a smile. ``But they can outrun him.``

The watch (cont`d.)

Fill-in: As you all know by now, Martin failed to make his scheduled appearance at Comiskey Park Tuesday night and thus skirted the hordes waiting to grill him. But that made it open season on former Sox pitcher Jim Kaat, now one of Martin`s broadcast partners on New York`s WPIX-TV. After talking to waves of inquirers, Kaat smiled wanly and said: ``I feel like Billy`s designated spokesman.`` . . . A nice guy, but not a fount of information. Kaat merely repeated what is now clear to everyone: Martin wants back into managing. Kaat`s only caveat: He wasn`t sure Martin wanted to go to any team other than the Yankees. . . . Just asking: What about Martin`s reported $500,000 contract with the Yankees? And what if Yankee owner George Steinbrenner asks for compensation before he releases Martin from that contract? And what about former Padre manager Dick Williams, who has told at least one intimate he won`t talk about the Sox situation and he should know why? As we mentioned, just asking.

Notes on local folk

Philadelphia 76ers` guard Maurice Cheeks is hobbling through his team`s playoff series with the Bucks, which prompted CBS analyst Billy Cunningham to call up this playoff memory of the former Du Sable High School star when Cunningham coached the Sixers: ``He had stitches over one eye, both his shoulders were bad, and he had fluid on both knees. I asked him how those injuries were and he says, `Fine, but I can`t move my back.` He comes to play. He epitomizes what a coach wants from a player. He`s the favorite player I ever had a chance to coach.`` . . . No wonder: Cheeks was only one of 13 National Basketball Association players to start all 82 regular-season games this year, and he played more minutes--3,270--than anyone else in the league. That averages out to nearly 40 of a possible 48 minutes a game . . . Every cloud has a silver lining: Former Proviso East star Glenn ``Doc`` Rivers is certainly not pleased that his Atlanta Hawks were eliminated from the playoffs by the Celtics Tuesday night. But at least now he is sure to be in Milwaukee May 31 for his wedding, which had been planned (until Tuesday) as ``playoffs permitting.`` . . . Next, ``Miami Vice``: On the big day, Rivers plans to wear pink high-top sneakers that match his bride`s dress. His ushers will wear black ties and black high-tops.

News, notes and nonsense

Nice touches: WGN radio will air tributes to the late Bill Veeck before and during its broadcast of the May 19 Crosstown Classic between the Cubs and the Sox. The station also plans to ask the teams and Busch beer, the game`s sponsor, to change its name to ``The Bill Veeck Classic.`` That idea has our vote. . . . Cheer, cheer: Mutual Broadcasting`s coverage of Notre Dame football will be carried this fall by WGN radio. . . . The teacher: Jim McMahon`s first annual football camp will be held at Lake Forest College in two sessions beginning June 29. The Bear quarterback will instruct each day and be joined by teammates. The camp is open to boys 13 to 18. Don`t call the Bears for details. Information can be obtained by ringing Jim McMahon`s Football Camp in Skokie . . . Instant polling: For five hours Wednesday, Sports Phone`s callers could answer two questions: Should LaRussa be fired or retained and, if the answer to that was the first possibility, should Martin be the one to replace him? Sixty percent of the 500 voters said get rid of LaRussa, and 46 percent of those favored Martin as a replacement. Others receiving support: Williams (20 percent), Sox operations chief Ken Harrelson

(3 percent) and Jimmy Piersall (2 percent). Bear coach Mike Ditka also received scattered votes. . . . Yet another honor: For the longest time, former Mayor Richard Daley`s portrait was the only one hanging in Marge`s on Sedgwick. About six years ago, then-De Paul coach Ray Meyer made the wall. Just this week, Ditka`s picture got a spot in the watering hole`s exclusive gallery.

And finally: New Notre Dame football coach and noted comedian Lou Holtz to a luncheon audience filled with Mutual Broadcasting and WGN radio execs:

``On offense, we have problems. We`ll move the ball--I just hope it`s forward. I suggest you take commercials when we have the ball.``